Opinion
Column

Why can't we see others as just people?

Labelling people starts in school when bullies label a victim with an adjective.
Adjectives about gender types, skin colour, nationality, culture, political leanings, social status, abilities, clothing or accessories, intelligence, profession, anything divisive.
We talk about bringing people together, yet labels divide neighbours and lead to discrimination which reaches its extreme in genocide.
When we look down on dress, income level, nationality, race or any factor, we discriminate and show partiality.
Labels reveal our prejudices and hinder unity, especially gender labels.
Differences over political or religious beliefs descend into insults and worse.
Many consider their beliefs, culture, nation, profession, family are superior.
It is the sin of pride when we find more words to divide us than unite us.
All humankind needs food, water, clean air to breathe, somewhere to call home, security, social attachment, work, freedom of choice, medical access, and more.
The Four Freedoms of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941 were freedom of speech, of worship, from want, from fear.
We want our neighbour to be just like us. Someday scientists will prove we all have common ancestors.
A belief or not about spirituality does not change that we are all equal in God's eyes- “There is no Jew or Greek, slave nor free, nor male or female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”
As poet Robert Frost said in Choose something like a Star, “So when at times the mob is swayed To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star to stay our minds on and be staid (calm).”
Feel the pathos and emotion and suffering in a transgender person pleading to the family “Can't you see that it is me?”
This is a cry to see the real lonely soul behind the adjectives we use freely.
Some parents (quoting from an article by Johnny Kauffman: “What it means to be transgender, let alone have a kid who is transgender, is something the parents had never thought about.
"It never even ever crossed our mind, ever," says the mother.
Dating, relationships and sex already can be tough topics for parents to discuss with their kids. The latest is the national debate over bathrooms and transgender students.
But wise families let their kids lead the discussions.
Allow open talk about what it means to be transgender and explain to parents, for instance, how using a different pronoun can hurt someone's feelings.
A child recalls when she told a new friend at school about her change. Her friend didn't believe it and said “No, you can't do that." So she took her friend to the teacher.
"How did she go from being a boy to a girl?” The teacher said, “Well, she grew her hair long and wore girls' clothes,” and the little girl was like, “OK,” and that was it, and they literally held hands, turned around, and skipped away, and that was the end of it.
Help us to see others through the eyes of children and treat them as Jesus would.
Contact Gene Monin at adios43@yahoo.com and 705-253-2608